Friday, November 1, 2013

According to a recent article in the AARP Magazine, probably not, especially if he's been married for awhile.But not for the reasons you might think. Not because he is necessarily so devoted or his moral code won't allow it. It is more simple that that.Men are lazy.As author Joe Queenan describes it: "Men like to plop down on the couch and watch sports and drink beer. Romance, by contrast, is labor-intensive; you have to shower, shave, slap on some deodorant, put on something other than sweatpants, buy flowers, go to the movies, read a book every once in a while, think of compliments, engage in conversation. Cheating on your wife involves travel, dinner reservations, booking hotel rooms. Once a man has been married a few decades, the energy he would need to expend on an extramarital affair could be a life-threatening shock to his nervous system."He goes on to discuss how cheap married men are and that they don't want to have to deal with the consequences of getting caught.But my favorite reason is that men have seen Fatal Attraction (bunny boiling, anyone?).He concludes with "But in the final analysis, I suspect that some men don't cheat for the same reason that they don't water-ski: They're not really good at it, there's no learning curve for this sort of thing, and the results could be disastrous."He ends by saying..."By the way, women already know all this."Duh.

A lawyer (Michael Fassbender) gets himself involved in a huge drug deal and wishes he hadn't.

Cormac McCarthywrites the screenplay (his first) which probably explains some of the long-winded philosophical rants some of the characters get into about the consequences of one's decisions. I mean, even the drug dealers are philosophers here. I was scared the entire time I watched this thing from Cameron Diaz' gold tooth to what happens to Brad Pitt. It was ominous from the first shot of septic tank trucks doing what they do. Ridley Scott directs and I am usually a fan but this film is rather a nasty piece of work. I can't tell you how many times I had my hands over my eyes. Moral: Don't get involved with drug dealers.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you liked "Seven," you might like this. It's definitely not for the faint of heart.

A man who has left Damascus under suspicious circumstances must return to find his missing daughter. Rosy the Reviewer says...If you liked "Taken," you might like this but this one is much more "intellectual." Actor Siddigis the one to watch. His eyes tell it all.Now You See Me (2013)

A group of magicians come together to pull off the perfect heist.

Great cast, a story that could have gone somewhere but it all just fell apart.

Rosy the Reviewer says...This one started off well but was a hot mess at the end. When I found out "who done it," I went, "ick." Not Recommended.Cheerful Weather for a Wedding(2012)

A disparate group of people come together for a wedding in the English countryside.

Felicity Jones is always a delight and I am a big fan of the many recognizable British actors that populate so many British films. If you can't wait for Downton Abbeyto start up again in January, you might find this British film a welcome addition to your viewing fare. It even stars Elizabeth McGovern.

Ryan Gosling reunites with the Danish director of Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn, in this very gritty, very violent, very gory, very kinky story about a British Thai fight club owner whose brother is murdered for killing a young prostitute.

Gosling, who doesn't say a word for the first 30 minutes of this film and probably only says a few sentences in all, seeks revenge for his brother's death at the behest of his sadistic crime boss Mom, Kristin Scott Thomas.

If the Danes are the happiest people on earth, they sure like gruesome movies. Lars Von Trier("Dogville," "Melancholia") is another one. Not gruesome so much, but in love with the long, languorous shots where you go, "Huh? What is going on?" Likewise, much as I love Britain, British gangsters are bad asses and movies about them are usually very violent and full of gore. I usually like films that take place in Asia or Africa or the Middle East, places I have never been, but this one is an acquired taste. All I can say is this was one weird ass movie, pardon my French. Not sure what Ryan was thinking on this one. Not many lines to learn?

Rosy the Reviewer says... This must be my week for gory movies (see The Counselor above). Lots of sword wielding and torture, of which I am not fond.Even if you are a big Ryan Gosling fan, beware.

If I hadn't seen the author of this book make the talk show rounds, I would have thought this was a novel. I don't in any way mean to minimize the danger and problem of human trafficking, but this book is one of those memoirs that is so astounding in the number of "things that can go wrong" genre, that it defies reality and you go "What?" And it doesn't really shed any new light on the problem of trafficking.

Rosy the Reviewer says...If you are a big fan of stories of young girls being abused by their supposed boyfriends, OK, but otherwise, take a pass.

A musical version of the movie.I went to this prepared to laugh at a campy send-up especially when I saw the many guys in the lobby dressed up as Carrie. But instead, it was really good. Alice Ripley, who I had seen in her Tony Award-winning turn in Next to Normal, was just amazing. Though the cast was very good, when she was on stage, it was especially riveting. Her voice is so moving and unusual. Unlike the movie, little blood and gore. It's practically family fare.﻿Rosy the Reviewer says...I can't vouch for what it would be like without Alice Ripley, but if it comes to your town, give it a shot.

Gorgeous voice, sings poetry with a melancholic charisma.Didn't know much about him when I bought the tickets. Knew about his dad Loudon Wainwright. Rufus is a kind of a cross between Billy Joel and Elton John.The song "Martha" was a highlight. You can listen to it here.

Rosy the Reviewer says...Musical poetry. If he appears near you, go. He's a delight...and his sister, who opens for him, is very charming.

***TV***

Styled to Rock(Bravo)Designers vie for the opportunity to be part of Rihanna's design team.Rosy the Reviewer says...Lacks the production values of "Project Runway," but if you like that show and fancy yourself a rock goddess, you might find this fun.Dancing on the Edge(STARZ)

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as a 1930's jazz band leader in London who gets mixed up in some crazy stuff.This is a far cry from his role in 12 Years a Slave (2013), which will probably earn him an Oscar Nomination. Johanna Vanderham, who currently is starring in "The Paradise" on PBS, is also one to watch. Rosy the Reviewer says...Stylish and intelligent TV fare.

That's it for this week.

See you Tuesday for

My Dad's Three Rules of Child-Rearing - a simple formula that will help you through adulthood and retirement!Trust me!

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A mostly humorous blog from an ex-aspiring actress and retired Baby Boomer librarian, a regular gal who fearlessly reviews movies and books for regular folks but also will occasionally rant about food, fashion, pop culture and whatever strikes her fancy at any given time. It's Life in Review from the perspective of a Woman of a Certain Age!
Find new movie and book reviews every Friday and the occasional rant about life and other topics on the occasional Tuesday. Like me at http://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer/